The Humble Origins of a Death Spectre

This is a short-story that tells the tale of how my original character Lucian, first captain of the Death Spectres was recruited into his chapter.

        Ten year-old Lucian gave a smirk, balling his hands into fists. He had been awaiting this moment for a long time, the boy in front of him had been a long time annoyance, and he was about to put an end to the constant annoying. Though, that wasn’t the only reason he was about to pick a fight with someone stronger than him. This kid, known as Dutch, was in between him and the girl he was crushing on. “Omnissiah save you, because nothing else can, b***h.” Dutch spat on the ground. The young boy let his smirk grow; where Dutch had size Lucian had ferocity and confidence. “The Emperor protects.” He stated, always preferring the God-emperor above the Machine-God. The two were now starting to gain the attraction of a crowd, consisting half and half of those around Lucian’s age group, and those of Dutch’s. Many expected Dutch to win, and who wouldn’t, Dutch was bigger, stronger…but Lucian was about to prove that wasn’t the most important thing there was to have in a fight.

 

        Dutch charged at Lucian, who had been waiting yet barely missed the right hook that Dutch was known for. Lucian kept his eyes sharp, his father had taught him how to fight…never to charge unless you know you can’t miss, always to wait for the perfect moment to strike when your opponent is weak, and when to be defensive and when to go on the offensive. Dutch turned, anger in his eyes…and Lucian still had that smirk, a confident smirk. One Dutch never had seen on someone he was fighting against. He gave a roar and charged again, Lucian ducked under his fist and rammed his into the older boy’s right ribcage. The crowd liked it, letting out a cheer at Dutch’s pain-filled reaction, and now he was far angrier than before. “That the best you got, whelp?” Dutch asked tauntingly, trying to throw Lucian off but he wasn’t about to heed any mind to his bravado. Lucian now had to tread carefully, for he was on thin ice now. Dutch wasn’t smart, but he wasn’t the dullest tool in the shed and he would most likely switch up his tactics.

 

        Lucian saw Dutch charge once more, apparently not getting the memo that his tactic didn’t work. Though this time, the hook didn’t curve and it came low. Lucian felt the stiff arm slap against his chest, knocking him to the ground. “C’mon, little girl, get up.” Dutch taunted, kicking Lucian in the ribs. He rolled himself up into a ball, using his arms to protect his ribs. Once Dutch got tired of kicking, he gave a smirk and stood over the balled-up Lucian. “That it, p***y? C’mon, you can do better than that!” he barked, more annoying than ever. Lucian slowly placed his feet to where he could quickly move up. “That so, huh?” Lucian asked, arrogantly as ever…it caught him off guard, and as he was about to respond the boy shot up like a missile, the top of his skull hitting Dutch in the jaw. The older boy let out a cry of pain as blood dripped from his mouth, he had bit his tongue. And now the fight was Lucian’s, and he was going to make it hurt. He gave three jabs to Dutch’s left ribs, and heavy hook into his right ribs. Now Lucian was attacking quickly and with strength, letting his anger out via his fists but he kept his mind clear. He wouldn’t take it too far, just enough for Dutch and his crew to know that the younger boy was nothing to mess with.

 

        Once he believed Dutch had enough, due to the fact that the older boy only grunted in reaction to each punch, he decided one final punch would do it. Lucian pulled back his right hand and slammed it into the older boy’s already bruised and bleeding face. Dutch reacted with falling to the ground, out like a light. The crowd roared with approval, and people left speechless at the underdog’s complete domination of his opponent. The boy looked down at his opponent, seeing his own hands. The only part of him injured, beyond a slightly stinging chest, was his bruised knuckles. “Dutch!” Lucian heard a female voice screech, and he turned to see the woman he had been fighting for. He expected her to be impressed with his victory, suddenly like him…but he was wrong. She pushed him out of the way and kneeled over Dutch “What were you thinking!?” she yelled at him, and he felt his heart sink deep into his stomach. And soon after that, he heard parents screaming and running towards them. Now he was in trouble…but he heard something else, too. He looked around for the noise that sounded like heavy metal beating the ground. Ignoring the screams of his parents, and Dutch’s parents, and trying to locate the source of the sound…and he did, and it did more than take his breath away.

 

        He felt a woman, probably his mother grab his shoulder and scream a question “Lucian, how could you do this!?” in which he reacted with silence, staring at the three space marines, clad with black and white painted power armor. His mother noticed, too, as did the rest of the crowd as everything grew quiet. His father fell onto his right knee as the first space marine came close. “My lord space marine, what do I owe to your visit?” it was muscle memory now, being a former Imperial Guardsmen. “Rise, who is this boy?” the space marine asked, and Lucian gulped and his eyes widened with fear. Before his father could speak, he did so himself. “I am Lucian, milord.” He bowed his head, fear apparent in his voice and face. The space marine nodded, and pulled off his heavy helmet, and went onto one knee. Not in the way his father did, but to get as close to ‘face-to-face’ as the giant could. The space marine’s bright red eyes stood out clearly against his pale flesh. “I am Constantine, of the Raven Guard…and you, my boy, are quite brave.” Constantine smirked, placing his finger against the boy’s chest. Lucian was struck dumbfounded “You’ve got a fire in your heart, boy…and you’ve got the wits to back it up. You remind me of myself when I was your age, I’ve been looking for things like that. I need things like that for a Death Spectre.” the Raven Guard gave a smirk. “A Death Spectre, milord?” the boy stiffened with fear. “This is the year of the Thirteenth founding, Lucian…I have been chosen to recruit the warriors for a new chapter. You have a spark within your mind, a fire in your heart…traits worthy of a Space Marine.” He stated, standing to his full height and placing his helmet back to its rightful place. He turned to his fellow space marines, and they all nodded.

 

        When an Adeptus Astartes, a space marine, chooses a child there is little the parents can do to stop them. Of course Constantine would give his parents a few minutes before they took him away…it all happened so fast. The woman he had fought for now seemed to take interest in him after his parents were gone, his father followed his wife. They were both proud, extremely, but that didn’t lift their hearts any. Christina gave the look she always did when she was flirting, and now Lucian wasn’t going to have any of it. He was about to return to the company of the Raven Guards when she bumped into him, giving him a cheap flirt she had said to every other male that impressed her. “What do /you/ want?” Lucian growled the question, Christina ignored the growl and answered almost innocently “I want you, silly.” A sleazy smile crawled over her face. “Lucian!” Constantine of the Raven Guards yelled, as a sign for him to hurry up. “You have Dutch.” He replied dryly, wanting to end the conversation as fast as possible. “Oh he’s not important anymore, he isn’t going to become a space marine.” She stated, the way she said it caused him to grind his teeth together. “Get out of my sight, w***e!” he barked, anger heavy in his voice as he pushed her away. The words shocked her; she never once expected anything like that. “How /dare/ you? Do you know who I am? Who do you think you are!?” she screamed at him, and he just smirked. “A space marine.” He turned and walked towards the Raven Guards. He could hear her complaining to her circle of friends, she was basically screaming.

 

        “Are you ready, Aspirant Lucian?” Constantine asked, in which Lucian nodded his head in a silent answer. “I know how it feels to taken from your loved ones…but you will bring them honor with your service.” The Raven Guard stated. “Let us go.” Constantine stated to the other Raven Guards as well as Lucian, now going to the vessel the Adeptus Astartes arrived in. 

Author's Note

This is a fan-fiction, and does not effect the canon story-line of the Warhammer 40K universe.

Reviews

[Emma Marie Taylor]

._. I love this beyond words I can comprehend. GENIUS.